As a homeowner in Milwaukee, you know our neighborhoods—from Bay View to the East Side—offer unique charm and community spirit. But with charm comes responsibility. No one wants to return home from Summerfest or a Brewers game to find their front door compromised. Burglary prevention isn’t just about peace of mind; it’s a critical investment in your family’s safety and your property’s protection.
At Bonafide Safe & Lock, we’ve spent decades serving Brookfield and greater Milwaukee with reliable, no-nonsense security solutions. In this guide, we’ll explain five essential steps—using straightforward language and practical examples—to help you fortify your home against intruders.
Our approach is simple: layer multiple defenses so if one barrier fails, another is ready. Think of it like the Packers’ defensive line—each player has a role, and together they stop the offense from ever reaching the end zone.
The first line of defense is your lockset. A deadbolt is a heavy-duty bolt that slides into the door frame when engaged. Look for locks rated ANSI Grade 1—the highest residential standard. These have been tested for strength, durability and resistance to picking.
Opt for a pick-resistant cylinder, such as Medeco or Schlage Primus. These cylinders use complex keyways and sidebar mechanisms that make it much harder for a burglar to manipulate the lock. Remember, a cheap doorknob lock is like a screen door on a submarine—it looks good but won’t hold back a determined intruder.
Even the best deadbolt can fail if the door frame gives way. The strike plate is the metal piece on the jamb where the bolt enters. Factory-installed strike plates often use short screws and thin metal. Upgrade to a heavy-duty plate secured with 3-inch screws that anchor into the wall studs.
For doors that swing outward, install hinge bolts. These steel pins fit between the door and the frame at the hinge side, preventing a burglar from prying the door away. Reinforcing the frame and hinge area is like adding steel beams around a garage door—it takes very little extra cost for a dramatic increase in strength.
Visibility is a powerful deterrent. Modern security cameras feature high-definition video, night vision and cloud-based storage. Place cameras to cover entry points—front door, back door and garage. Wireless systems use local Wi-Fi or cellular backup, so tripped sensors will still send alerts during a power outage.
Motion-activated lights are often tied to Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors. PIR sensors detect body heat, so when someone steps within range, the light flips on. That sudden illumination can scare off prowlers before they even reach your porch.
Smart locks eliminate traditional keys and work via codes, biometrics or your smartphone. You can grant temporary codes for house sitters or contractors, then revoke access instantly. An audit trail—a log of when each code was used—lets you see who entered and when.
To keep your smart lock secure, connect it to a protected Wi-Fi or Z-Wave network and change default passwords. Pairing your lock with a home security app lets you lock or unlock remotely, receive tamper alerts and integrate with video doorbells. It’s like having a live-in security guard you control from your pocket.
Burglars prefer hiding in the shadows. By installing motion-activated LED floodlights around your property, you remove their cover. Focus on dark zones—side yards, back patios and garage perimeters. Solar-powered options can work even if the power goes out.
Maintain shrubs and trees so they’re trimmed at least three feet from windows and doors. Low, thorny plants under windows act as a natural barrier—think of them as spike strips for would-be intruders. A well-lit, well-groomed yard sends a clear message: this home is occupied and cared for.
Layering these five strategies—high-security locks, reinforced frames, cameras and alarms, smart entry, and strategic lighting—creates a fortress designed to deter and delay burglars. No single solution is foolproof, but together they make your Milwaukee home one of the toughest targets in the neighborhood.
Ready to take the next step? Our locksmith experts at Bonafide Safe & Lock in Brookfield are standing by with professional installation and personalized security assessments. Safeguard your investment and protect your loved ones today.
The combination lock on our business safe was getting harder and harder to work. BONAFIDE was out in a few days after I called and switched it to a digital! Jay was very knowledgeable and switched it in no time and added lubricant to the hinges! He went through the workings and now our safe is the best it’s ever been!
Had a great experience getting a special key made for my car carrier. Bonafide was the fourth place I went to and they were awesome and made sure my new key worked. Tim was the problem solver and he customized the key so it would work. Very pleased customer and they will be my go to key maker from now on. Thanks for the great customer service, which is hard to find these days. Scott Park
We had a last-minute request and wasn’t sure it could be accommodated on such short notice, but the team at Bonafide went above and beyond. From the moment I reached out, they were friendly, responsive, and eager to help. They prioritized my request without hesitation and made the entire process smooth and stress-free. Their customer service is top-notch especially Gildy—attentive, professional, and thoughtful every step of the way. It’s rare to find a business that not only delivers excellent results but also truly cares about their customers. I can’t recommend them enough. Bonafide is our go to.
This was my first time moving a safe to another location and the crew I had was AWESOME. It was awesome to see people taking pride in their work. They had my safe out of my house in no time. Great crew!!!
Marcus was prompt, polite, reliable, and knew his stuff! He was very kind, and showed us the problem - as well as fixed it! Also, he told us how to prevent it from happening again. I would highly recommend Marcus and Bonafide!
Great first time experience!! Technician was out promptly after service request. Evaluated problem and repaired quickly. My safe works great!!
Exceptional service and value. Great variety of high-quality safes, locks, and security needs. Bought my gun safe from them and look forward to going back should the need arise. Highly recommend!
Bonafide handles our facilities locks, cameras and alarm system. We have always had good service. Sometimes the work is not time sensitive and we let them know that if they are busy to take their time but if it's an emergency they are here promptly usually within an hour or two. my review was prompted by recently we had a mechanical door lock system that was worn out and out of production. The tech was able to find parts from another lock and breathe life back into our worn out lock. I feel their prices have always been fair and I have no hesitation recommending them to anyone.
The folks at Bonafide are true professionals in sales and service of safes of all types. The electronic connections in my safe had degraded during a period of non-use, and I could not get it to power up. Bonafide helped me to get into my safe and recover some time-sensitive documents, and they did in no time at all at a very affordable price. I was also impressed with the paper trail that they provided for the service to ensure that they would not be breaking into a potentially stolen safe. I strongly recommend them if you're changing your door locks or knobs on a home or business, or if you're in the market for safes to keep belongings away from children or burglars.
Great service, got the work done professionally and in a timely manner. I will be calling them again for future needs.
We had a large project that Bonafide handled with exceptional care. They were timely, professional, and impressively organized throughout the process. Their staff made the entire experience so pleasant that I couldn’t stop raving about it. Highly recommend Bonafide for their outstanding service!
Timothy was very helpful and professional!He helped me get additional keys for my shop.I will definitely be coming back in the future! I will be recommending to friends and family!
Great customer service, solid teamwork, and patient problem solving!
Reached out to Bonafide to repair our restaurant pull tab machine lock, and very happy that we did! Within less than a day a technician, Marcus, was here and very helpful. Even gave a heads up call when he was on the way! Highly recommend! Thank you for the help!
